Blackmores Sydney Running Festival / Ask a Physio
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Ask a Physio

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How do you prevent running injuries or get on top a "niggle" fast? Ask our expert Physiotherapists.

Got a question for Brad and the team at Sydney Physio Solutions? Ask them in the comments section below!

 Dr Brad McIntosh and his team at Sydney Physio Solutions are excited to partner with Blackmores again for the 2020 Sydney Running Festival, helping everyone get to the line in good shape! Amazingly, this is the 10th year that Brad and his team have helped out by answering your injury prevention and management questions.

Sydney Physio Solutions is a group of leading Physiotherapy, Pilates and Massage clinics based in the CBD of Sydney.

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Hi There,

I am currently trying to manage recurring ITB syndrome.
Symptoms first started in June, when I began training for the � Marathon ( I have now changed to the 10KM run due to injury). I sought physio advice and backed off on running to help assist the ITB. The past couple of weeks I have slowly picked up my intensity & training, after a great couple of weeks of feeling good, I managed a fast run on the weekend and felt great. 3km into a run on Tuesday, my ITB symptoms returned and I had to stop my run and walk. In the lead up to the recent ITB symptoms, I was averaging between 20-30KM per week.

Looking for some advice on how manage ITB syndrome and avoid the recurring symptoms.

Thanks,
Kelly
Kelly
Kelly 23 Aug 2018
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Hi Brad,
I run between 35-40km a week (5-10km runs). Recently I developed a pain in my right knee, it feels like it is in just under the knee cap on the right hand side of the knee. The pain usually occurs when the leg is elevated and bent, so usually on the downwards motion of returning the foot to the ground. Not sure if it is from relatively new shoes or cold morning runs (I did warm up and wear rights). It is starting to feel better, but what are the best exercises to rehab it, prevent it from reoccuring and keeping my body balanced during a run?
Thanks!
Russell
Russell 07 Aug 2018
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Hi there! Currently training for Marathon but 3 wks ago tore my tibulis posterior tendon. The pain has gone after 3wks no running. I have cross trained & water ran in that time. If pain has gone can i ease back into running? My podiatrist said my joggers were gone so bourght 2 new pairs to alternate. Whats your advice concerning my injury & preventing it re occurring? Cheers Kristy
Kristy
Kristy 23 Jul 2018
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Hi Peter, I understand your concerns especially being so close to the event. It sounds like the calf has become overloaded. From your description it’s hard to know if it is the tendon or muscle. However, my advice would be:
- Use discomfort as a guide to how much you can exercise – No more than 3/10 pain during or after. This should resolve the next day.
- Reduce your training load so the calf has minimal irritability – less runs or less distance. Once calf has settled gradually increase load to only 1 run per week ( don’t increase load and frequency at the same time).
- Ensure to add a warm up prior to running due to the colder weather.
- Walking and cycling can be a good ways to keep your fitness however it still requires a lot of calf demand so monitor load during those.
- Incorporate some calf strengthening during the week – Double leg and single leg calf raises on non-running days. You can do raises through range or incorporate some holds to add more tension into the tendon
- Stretching/Massaging the calf and other muscles of the lower limb can be helpful. When stretching make sure its pain free.

Hope these tips have been helpful. If symptoms don’t change I recommend you seek further advise from a local physio. All the best for the Marathon.

Kind Regards

Denise Garcia
Physiotherapist – Macquarie St

“This is general advice only & shouldn’t take the place of a consultation with your healthcare provider. For private consultation with our expert team of physiotherapists or massage therapists, please contact Sydney Physiotherapy Solutions on 9252 5770 or sydneyphysiosolutions.com.au “
Brad
Brad 19 Jul 2018
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Hi Brad, Im running the Blackmores Marathon and up until a week ago training was going well. For three consecutive weeks I had run circa 25km long runs. However, out of no-where I've just had this niggle develop in my inner calf muscle (perhaps the medial gastrocnemius?) I rested it for a week, and then tried easing back in (a long walk, a bike ride), but its inflammed again. It only feels like a small niggle - not sure how long I need to rest for to make sure it gets better. If I rest it too long, ill lose my fitness, if I reinjure it again in a week, thats no good either. Any advice you have would be appreciated.
Peter
Peter 17 Jul 2018
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Hi Brad and team,
I'm 31yo, run generally a few times a week (often not terribly far), and walk at least a few km every day getting to work, but sometimes in the morning as I get out of bed I get searing pain under my right foot around where the heel would come in contact with the ground if not wearing shoes (so not directly beneath the heel bone, but in the softer tissue just surrounding that, particularly near the middle of the foot). I have a sneaking feeling it started after playing a social game of indoor soccer about 2 months ago... I have added inserts into my every-day shoes to help cushion my heel for walking (helps a little), and massaging seems to help it, but I was hoping there might be a more long-term solution to stop the pain from coming back. It doesn't hurt when I run, and only occasionally when I walk. Any tips would be most welcome!
Another thing is I get a feeling of tightness/insecurity behind my right knee sometimes when I run. Could this simply be a lack of flexibility that is now compromising my muscle strength and feeling of muscle security? Also (and/or) could starting ballet classes earlier this year be a contributing factor (all that pointing of toes..)? (I really enjoy ballet class, so I'm keen to work out how to continue both running and ballet without pain)
Are there any strength or stretching exercises (or other things) that might be good for either of these concerns? Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide!
Cheers,
Helen
Helen
Helen 14 Jul 2018
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Hi Brad
I seem to have developed tendonitis in my Achilles. What would you suggest as a recommendation for treatment & to avoid further instances?
Thanks for your advice
James
Geoff
Geoff 13 Jul 2018
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Hi Brad

I started running 12 months ago (at 50 yo), completing a couple of half marathons and shorter races. This year, I have been training for my first full marathon and have developed a problem with a very sore Achilles tendon, so much so that I stop running for a week or two a couple of times, without success and have just started running again after a 2 month break to try and recover - after a couple of short runs (4 & 6 km) over 4 days, there is some soreness but very minor. The problem seems to arise after I cool down and seems to coincide with tight hamstrings, the next day. I have not changed anything I do, compared to last year, other than having a slight lower back strain in January, after some water skiing.

Would more stretching help this or will I just need to rethink my ability to run longer distances, if so, what stretches should I do before and after running (I have typically not been a great stretcher, so I would appreciate assistance)
Simon
Simon 11 Jul 2018
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